Hot top blocking



L. J. GARMS HOT TOP BLOCKING Feb. 22, 1949.

Filed April 12, 1947 INVENTOR.

Ew ./7 Gag/ws TTRNEXS Planea Feb. z2. 1949` HOT TOP BLOCKING Levi J. Gams, Lakewood, ohio, assigner to The Ferro Engineering Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 12, 1947, Serial No. 741,114

8 Claims. (Cl. 22-147) This invention relates to improvements in hot top blocking, that is to say apparatus for supporting a hot top of the floating type in the mold until the mold and hot top have been filled with molten metal. The invention is intended to replace the wooden block means heretofore commonly employed for supporting such a hot top. In accordance with that method the wooden blocks must be held in position by workmen while the hot top is being lowered, which not only requires additional labor but presents a safety hazard, as the workmens footing while performing this service is not secure.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of hot top blocking which is assembled upon the hot top and remains with it, which is usable indefinitely as distinguished from the short life of wooden blocks, and which requires no attention while the hotvtop is being lowered into a mold.

Another object is the construction of blocking in such manner as to enable it to be knocked out of operative position when the pouring is completed in the same manner as the wooden blocks heretofore employed, except that it remains with the hot top and is not left behind when the latter is stripped from the ingot.

Another object is the provision of hot top blocking for the purpose described which presents a contour and smooth surface tending to shed any hot metal which may be splattered upon it.

Still another object is the provision of means for maintaining the block in its operative vertical position while the hot top is being lowered into the mold.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is an elevational view of a hot top equipped with blocking constructed in accordance with the invention and showing a workman in the act of knocking the blocking out of operative position in order that the hot top may float upon the molten metal as the latter coolsand contracts.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale showing one of the blocks in hot top supporting position.

Fig. 3 is an inside elevational detail view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and loo ing in the direction of the arrows, and l Fig. 4-is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the block in the position which it must take'in order to be mounted upon or dismounted from the hot top.

In Fig. 1 a pouring platform is illustrated at i0, being disposed at approximately the same level as the top of an ingot mold I I. In practice the mold would be one of a series carried upon buggies that run upon track rails in the conventional manner. The pouring ladle is carried by an overhead crane, not shown.

I2 represents a hot top casing comprising generally a pair of iron castings bolted together.

. As indicated in Fig. 2 the interior walls of the casing are covered by a refractory lining I3 which rests upon a ledge I4 at the bottom of the casing. A single use refractory bottom ring I 5 protects the bottom of the casing and the lower end of the lining, any space between the ring and these other elements of the hot top being i'llled with refractory grout I 6. I1 represents a sheet metal wiper strip that extends entirely around the hot top and tends to limit the flow of hot metal upwardly between the hot top and the mold II.

While the mold and hot top are being moved about and while they stand adjacent the pouring platform, as well as while the pouring of metal 4is taking place, the hot top is supported upon the mold by a plurality, generally three, blocks shown at 20 in the drawing. These blocks are preferably formed as iron castings. They have a curved upper contour and a smooth outer surface, and at its lower extremity each block has a beveled foot 2| adapted to engage the inner upper edge of the mold and thus to wedge its innerflat surface into close contact with the ex terior wall of the hot top.

In the ,block 20 there is a transverse channel 22, herein shown as a groove-facing inwardly toward the hot top, this groove being preferably dovetailed in cross-section. It has a lateral leg 23 on one or both sides of the longitudinal center line of the block, which leg or legs may be turned down as shown. The lower extremities of the groove are tapered to conform more or less with the general shape of the block. The only function of the tapered portions however is to save metal and reduce weight.

Near the lower end of one leg 23 of the groove the dovetail walls are removed to leave a circular pocket 2l. The body of the block between the downturned legs 23 of the groove presents a post or buttress 25 which transmits the load imposed upon it to the foot 2l of the block. A recess 28 is formed in the upper wall of the groove at the longitudinal axis of `the block above the buttress 25.

A pin 28 with a tapered head 29 fits tightly in a drilled hole 20 in the hot top casing. There is one of these pins for each of the supporting other words the block then hangs from the pin and its foot 2l assumes a position below and in vertical alignment with the pin, which is the desired position for the block to take while the hot top is being lowered into the mold.. As soon as the hot top descends to the position of Figs. 2 and 3 the pins move down out of the recesses 26 into engagement with the buttresses 25, and the blocks then support the hot top. When metal has been poured to a predetermined level pouring is interrupted or slowed down and the metal is allowed to freeze in the clearance between the ring I and the mold wall to effect a seal. A workman then strikes or pushes laterally against upper portions of the blocks to move the buttresses 25 out from under the corresponding pins and tilt the blocks more or less, whereupon the hot top is free to descend with the contracting ingot. In such case each of the pins 28 carried Iby the slowly settling hot top can travel downwardly in one of the lateral passages 23 of the block unlmpeded by the block, which now leans against the pin. Following this short interruption the pouring of the hot top is resumed and completed. Sometimes the above practice is modified by effecting a seal as above and then pouring the hot top before striking the blocks and releasing the hot top from the blocks. Later when the hot top is stripped from the ingot, and while it is being serviced preparatory to use in the next heat, the blocks are retained by the engagement of the headed pin in the'dovetail groove and are thus always present and ready for use. Because of the beveled lower edge of the foot bearing upon the edge of the mold and the cooperating inclined surfaces on the pin 29 and buttress 25, the block is crowded into close engagement with the surface of the hot top so that there is little danger of any metal being splattered onto the pin or into the groove of the block. Also the rounded contour of theupper end of the block and its smooth outer surface tend to shed any metal which may strike the block.

It will be appreciated that the channel or groove 22 need notnecessarily be of the shape shown herein. It should have some extent transversely of the block and may extend one or both ways from the longitudinal axis. Ithas downturned portions in the illustrated embodiment in order to conform more or less with the general shape of the block shown in the drawing. It

' will also be appreciated that the pin may be 4 top rather than as shown, although the illustrated arrangement is more practical and therefore preferred.

The term channel as herein employed is intended to apply to a slot extending entirely through the block as well as to the groove herein illustrated, the headed pin in that case extending entirely through the slot and engaging the outer surface of the block. The groove arrangement is preferred however because a grooved block affords protection against the splattering of metal and because it has greater strength.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a hot top of the floating type adapted to be supported at a plurality of points upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation, a plurality of headed pins mounted in and projecting outwardly from said hot top, a like number of blocks abutting the walls of the hot top adapted to rest upon a mold, each of said blocks having a transverse channel therein receiving one of said pins, said channel where it crosses the longitudinal axis of the block being adapted, when the block is in upright position and resting upon the mold, to support a pin, and said channel having a lateral leg adapted to guide the movement of the block when the latter is shifted away from pin supporting position.

2. A hot top as defined in claim 1, wherein the lateral leg of said channel is downturned.

3. A hot top as dened in claim 1, wherein the lateral leg of said channel has an enlargement of sufcient size to permit the head of said pin to pass into or out of said groove.

4.`A hot top as defined in claim 1. wherein said channel is a dovetail groove facing inwardly toward the hot top.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper wall of each of said channels is recessed to receive one of said pins for supporting said blocks in vertical position at the desired point in said groove while the hot top is being lowered into the mold.

6. In a hot top of the floating type adapted to be supported at a plurality of points upon an ingot mold during the pouring operation, a plurality of headed pins mounted in and projecting outwardly 'from said hot top, a like number of blocks abutting the walls of the hot top adapted to rest upon a mold. each of said blocks having a transverse channel therein receiving one of said pins, said channel where it crosses the longitudinal axis of the block being adapted, when the block is in upright position and resting upon the mold, to support a pin, and said channel having a lateral leg adapted to guide the movement of the block when the latter is shifted away from pin supporting position, the lateral leg of said channel being downturned and having an enlargement near its lower end of sufficient size to permit the head of said pin to pass.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a hot top member and a block member, said block member being adapted to support the hot top member temporarily during the pouring operation, said block member having a fiat surface for engagement with a side wall surface of the hot top, one of said members having a pin disposed at right anglesto said engaging surfaces and the other member having a transverse groove meeting the engaging surface of the first named member and receiving said pin, said block having a foot adapted when disposed vertically beneath said pin to engage the top of an ingot mold for supporting that side of the hot top, and said mold.

' LEVI J. GARMS. g

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

5 'l UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,019,906 McKee Mul'. 12, 1912 1,134,484 vPage Apr. 6, 1915 

